Nilson Corrêa Júnior

Nilson Corrêa Júnior (born 26 December 1975), known simply as Nilson, is a Brazilian former footballer who played as a goalkeeper.

Nilson

Nilson in 2014
Personal information
Full name	Nilson Corrêa Júnior
Date of birth	26 December 1975
Place of birth	Vitória, Brazil
Height	1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s)	Goalkeeper
Youth career
1992–1994	Vitória
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1995–1998	Vitória	69	(0)
1999–2003	Santa Cruz	57	(0)
2000	→ Gama (loan)	12	(0)
2001	→ Inter Limeira (loan)	35	(0)
2004	Americano	2	(0)
2005	Náutico	12	(0)
2005–2012	Vitória Guimarães	196	(0)
2012–2015	Persepolis	67	(0)
2015–2016	Moreirense	2	(0)
2016–2017	União Madeira	28	(0)
Total		480	(0)
National team
1993	Brazil U17	5	(0)
1995–1997	Brazil U20	6	(0)
Teams managed
2019	Flamengo Arcoverde
2019	Ypiranga-PE
2019–	Decisão
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Most of his professional career was spent in Portugal with Vitória de Guimarães, where he appeared in 226 competitive matches over seven seasons, six spent in the Primeira Liga.[1] He also played for three years with Persepolis in Iran.

Club career

Brazil

Born in Vitória, Espírito Santo, Nílson started his career at Esporte Clube Vitória, signing with Santa Cruz Futebol Clube in 1999 and achieving promotion from the Campeonato Brasileiro Série B in the same year. He then had loan spells, at Sociedade Esportiva do Gama and Associação Atlética Internacional (Limeira).[2]

Nilson was released by Santa Cruz in 2003, for financial reasons.[3] After an injury-ridden stint with Americano Futebol Clube he joined Clube Náutico Capibaribe,[4] where he won the Campeonato Pernambucano.

Guimarães

In 2003, Nílson was spotted by Vitória S.C. manager Jorge Jesus and agent António Texeira while playing footvolley, with Jesus wanting him to play in Portugal. They lost touch, but later he was contacted again by Teixeira and agreed to move to Portugal that year[5] after his €90,000 release clause was paid,[6] being first-choice from the start but not being able to prevent, however, the Guimarães side from being relegated to the second division in his first season.

After only missing two league games in 2006–07, as the Minho team returned to the Primeira Liga, Nilson played all matches in the following campaign as they achieved a third place, and subsequently the third qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League.[7]

Persepolis

On 17 July 2012, aged nearly 37, Nilson signed a two-year deal with Iranian club Persepolis FC.[8] He helped his new team finish second in 2013–14 and thus qualify to the AFC Champions League, keeping a Pro League-best 18 clean sheets; he extended his contract for another year on 24 May 2014, but was released on 1 January 2015.

Later years

On 10 July 2015, Nilson returned to Portugal with Moreirense FC.[9] For the following campaign, still in that country but in the second level, he joined C.F. União.[10]

International career

Nilson played for Brazil at under-20 level, and was part of the squad that finished runners-up in the 1995 FIFA World Youth Championship although he did not play.[11] In late May 2011, he was invited by Portuguese coach Paulo Duarte to represent the Burkinabé national team,[12] with the nation risking sanctions due to FIFA eligibility rules if he was selected;[13] the following month, the player announced that he would no longer be eligible since a possible call up to the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations would have negative impact in his Vitória Guimarães career.[14]

Club statistics

[15][16]

Club performance			League		Cup		League Cup		Continental		Total
Season	Club	League	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Portugal			League		Taça de Portugal		Taça da Liga		Europe		Total
2005–06	Guimarães	Primeira Liga	27	0	1	0	–	–	2	0	30	0
2006–07		Segunda Liga	28	0	0	0	–	–	–	–	28	0
2007–08		Primeira Liga	30	0	0	0	2	0	–	–	32	0
2008–09			24	0	2	0	2	0	4	0	32	0
2009–10			29	0	3	0	1	0	–	–	33	0
2010–11			30	0	6	0	1	0	–	–	37	0
2011–12			28	0	2	0	0	0	4	0	35^1	0
Iran			League		Hazfi Cup		League Cup		Asia		Total
2012–13	Persepolis	Pro League	28	0	5	0	–	–	–	–	33	0
2013–14			30	0	1	0	–	–	–	–	31	0
2014–15			9	0	0	0	–	–	0	0	9	0
Total	Portugal		196	0	14	0	6	0	10	0	226^1	0
	Iran		68	0	6	0	–	–	0	0	74	0
Career total			264	0	19	0	7	0	10	0	300	0

¹ includes one match in 2011 Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira.

Honours

Vitória

• Campeonato Baiano: 1996, 1997
• Campeonato do Nordeste: 1997

Vitória Guimarães

• Taça de Portugal: Runner-up 2010–11

Persepolis

• Hazfi Cup: Runner-up 2012–13

Náutico

• Campeonato Pernambucano: 2004

References

1. "V. Guimarães: Nilson "magoado" por não ser capitão" [V. Guimarães: Nilson «hurt» for not being captain] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 20 October 2011. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
2. Neto, Milton (22 March 2014). "Ídolos inesquecíveis 4: Nilson" [Unforgettable idols 4: Nilson] (in Portuguese). Globo Esporte. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
3. Cavalcante, Marcelo (7 May 2003). "Santa Cruz dispensa goleiro Nilson" [Santa Cruz release goalkeeper Nilson] (in Portuguese). NE 10. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
4. "Goleiro Nilson" [Goalkeeper Nilson] (in Portuguese). Náutico Net. 8 September 2011. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
5. "Ídolo em Portugal, goleiro brasileiro foi descoberto no futevôlei por grande treinador lusitano" [Idol in Portugal, Brazilian goalkeeper was discovered in footvolley by great Lusitanian coach] (in Portuguese). Terra. 14 August 2015. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
6. Pereira, Sérgio (21 June 2005). "V. Guimarães assegura guarda-redes Nilson (Náutico Recife)" [V. Guimarães confirm goalkeeper Nilson (Náutico Recife)] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
7. "Terceiro lugar histórico" [Historic third place]. Correio da Manhã (in Portuguese). 12 May 2008. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
8. نیلسون به تیم فوتبال پرسپولیس پیوست [Nilson joins Persepolis] (in Persian). Fars News. 17 July 2012. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
9. "Contratação" [Signing] (in Portuguese). Moreirense F.C. 10 July 2015. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
10. "Guarda-redes Nilson Júnior reforça o União da Madeira" [Goalkeeper Nilson Júnior bolsters União da Madeira] (in Portuguese). SAPO. 22 August 2016. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
11. "Brasil 2x0 Catar, pelo Mundial Sub-20 de 1995" [Brazil 2x0 Qatar, for the 1995 Under-20 World Cup] (in Portuguese). Melhores da Base. 5 May 2016. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
12. "Burkina Faso call up Brazilian-born goalkeeper". Goal. 23 May 2011. Retrieved 25 May 2011.
13. Gleeson, Mark (4 June 2011). "Soccer-Mbengue gets all clear for Senegal debut". Reuters. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
14. "Nilson renunciou à seleção do Burkina Faso" [Nilson renounced Burkina Faso national team]. Record (in Portuguese). 23 June 2011. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
15. Nilson at ForaDeJogo
16. "Nilson". Soccerway. Retrieved 10 April 2014.

External links

• Nilson at Sambafoot
• Nilson at ForaDeJogo
• Official website (in Portuguese)